Orange Sea Star

I find Sea Stars interesting. The Orange Sea Star comes in all sorts of shades in the orange spectrum from bright reds to orangey yellows.

While they start on the Barrier Reef, they are often found in the rockpools along the coast of South East Queensland. The sea stars come in with the tides, or the cyclones and are stranded in the rockpools.

They are fascinating animals, which when dead dry out in a skeletal shape. This weekend I went to Melbourne, and today got the ferry down the Yarra to Williamstown. This is a seaside resort established in the convict days. As we got off the ferry I could see star fish in the water. They are a pest in these waters, and there was a chap with a long implement whose job it was to kill the star fish. Apparently they rein havoc with the mussels and native fish to the area.

I hadn't much thought about sea stars, till recently, but I do like their simplistic shape.

This is a simple crochet design which I have come up with. It is free for you to have fun with, in line with usual copyright restrictions. This means you can use the pattern to make these for yourself, to give away, or to donate charity. So enjoy the pattern, which I share in good faith.

I think the beads add a bit of texture. I might try some with a few more beads and see how they turn out.


Orange Sea Star
(c) 2006 crochetroo
Australian Instructions

Size 20 Coats Cotton, 1.00 hook or 4ply crochet cotton, 1.75 hook
Put 5 beads onto thread, 6ch, join into a circle.

Round 1
1ch, 15dc into ring

Round 2
(2dc into first st, 1dc next st, 2dc next st, bead to hook1ch) 5 times around, sl st to join.

Round 3
*11ch, starting in 3rd from hook and working back along ch: 3dc, 3htr, 3tr, 1dc in 1ch of 2nd row*. This is where the bead is. You may need to fiddle with the bead for it to sit in the space. Repeat from * till there are 5 arms.

Round 4
Working between the stitches and going up one side and down the other.

8htr up first side, 3dc at tip, then 8htr down L side, continue around star in this manner however on last arm work 1dc 3ch 1dc (instead of 3dc) at tip to make a loop if you wish.

Slst into first htr and finish off. Weave in ends.

Orange Sea Star (c) 2006 crochetroo
American Instructions

Size 20 Coats Cotton, 1.00 hook (10 steel) or 4ply crochet cotton, 1.75 hook (5 steel)
Put 5 beads onto thread

6ch, join into a circle.

Round 1
1ch, 15sc into ring

Round 2
(2sc into first st, 1sc next st, 2sc next st, bead to hook 1ch) 5 times around, slst to join.

Round 3
*11ch, starting in 3rd from hook and working back along ch: 3sc, 3hdc, 3dc, 1sc in 1ch of 2nd row*. This is where the bead is. You may need to fiddle with the bead for it to sit in the space. Repeat from * till there are 5 arms.

Round 4
Working between the stitches and going up one side and down the other.

8hdc up first side, 3sc at tip, then 8hdc down L side, continue around star in this manner however on last arm work 1sc 3ch 1sc (instead of 3sc) at tip to make a loop if you wish.

Slst into first hdc and finish off. Weave in ends.

I hope you enjoy these as I think they are very effective.

I am still frozen from my trip to Melbourne, and it is nice to back in Queensland. It is going to be a long crochet night as the Socceroos play Brazil in the world cup at 2am Australian time.